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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28209363">time machine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueschist/pseuds/blueschist'>blueschist</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>post-canon edoryo stories [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! GX</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blow Jobs, Established Relationship, Family, Fluff and Smut, Fluffy Smut, Hand Jobs, M/M, fleshing out characters that don't exist as anything other than concepts lol, its funny sex, sex at the end but its not sexy, there are no actual time machines sorry, title is time machine but thats only figurative</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:35:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,612</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28209363</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueschist/pseuds/blueschist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryo takes Edo to meet his parents. Shockingly, they are exceptionally normal and very nice people, unlike their eldest son who is neither of those things.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Marufuji Ryou | Zane Truesdale/Edo Phoenix | Aster Phoenix</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>post-canon edoryo stories [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2044756</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>time machine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <a href="https://youtu.be/2yna0NRqNlA">i'm looking for a time machine<br/>
but i can not go back<br/>
and change one single thing<br/>
it's staying all intact<br/>
<br/>
don't you ever come and look for me<br/>
don't you ever say my name<br/>
you'll be waiting all your life<br/>
don't come back for me</a>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>i named ryo's parents after shinya tsukamoto and kei fujiwara.  shinya tsukamoto directed the movie <i>tetsuo: the iron man</i> and kei fujiwara played the female lead and was also the co-director.  <i>tetsuo: the iron man</i> basically helped codify the cyberpunk genre in japan, and is one of my favorite movies.</p><p>disclaimer that i was raised primarily by an emotionally abusive narcissist. i have significant trauma related to it. </p><p>so when i try to write about healthy family relationships, please know that i am just approximating, and that it is a form of wish fulfillment for me. i am sorry if i get some things wrong.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You know that tournament KaibaCorp’s gonna hold in Domino?” asked Ryo over lunch.  Well, more accurately, Edo was eating lunch, which was leftover tomato basil soup from the night before. Ryo had eaten lunch earlier, so was just kinda sitting there.</p><p>“What about it.” Edo glanced up but did not move his head. Of course he knew about the tournament, what a stupid question. Knowing about it was kinda his <em> job</em>.</p><p>“Are you gonna, uh, be doing that?”</p><p>This time, Edo didn’t look up. “I’ll have to look at my schedule and get back to you on that,” he said.</p><p>“Your phone is <em> right there</em>.”</p><p>“Yes, but I’m busy,” he said, indicating his soup. The great thing about this soup, in particular, was that it tasted even better the second day. Edo wasn’t really sure why that was, probably some science thing or brain thing. He wasn’t really in tune with the sciences, both of his PhDs were in history-related subjects, and as a cook he was merely serviceable, not like—</p><p>“You’re not even using both hands to eat!” interjected Ryo. Gesturing to Edo’s phone, Ryo continued: “Look, you’re scrolling through fucking Twitter.”</p><p>Edo dramatically placed his spoon on the table.“Fine! What does it matter to you, anyway?  You won’t duel in Japanese tournaments, so it’s not like you have to worry about losing to me again.”</p><p>Ryo scoffed. “That’s not why I was asking. And for the record, if we were to duel, I would totally win this time.”</p><p>Edo rolled his eyes. </p><p>“I don’t have anything important scheduled that week, so if you’re going I could come with, and then we could take a couple extra days before or after to visit my family.”</p><p>“I don’t think I’ve met your family. Besides your brother.”</p><p>“You haven’t. Which is why my parents want to meet you. Since we’re engaged now. And you’re going to be part of the family.”</p><p>Shit. Edo forgot they were engaged and would presumably be getting married sometime in the nearish future. “Oh. Sure. Yeah. I think I can clear out a couple of days for that.”</p><p>Edo tried not to feel anxious about it. He had no idea how to act around other people’s parents. His own parents had been dead for nearly two decades, so he technically didn’t even know how to act around his own parents. And these would be <em> Ryo’s </em> parents, who probably had some preconceived ideas about who Edo was as a person, and to whom Edo had a vested interest in making a good impression, since he was, y’know, marrying into the family or whatever. </p><p>Ugh. He should’ve just gone for another orphan. Then he wouldn’t have to go through this awkward and nerve-wracking ordeal. What a hassle.</p><p>——</p><p>The cab deposited them at a modest apartment complex which looked to be comfortably middle-class.  Ryo tilted his head towards a stairwell. “They’re on the third floor.”</p><p>“How the hell’d they get you up there when you were sick?” Edo asked.</p><p>“Strapped me to a mattress and dragged it up the stairs.”</p><p>“Wait, you’re not serious. Are you?”</p><p>“No, of course I’m not serious! There's an elevator, it's just further away than the stairs are,” explained Ryo, “and also it sucks. Probably one of the worst elevators I’ve been on.”</p><p>“I’ve been on some pretty bad elevators,” said Edo, “There was this one, in Houston—”</p><p>“We’re here.” Ryo set his suitcase down. “Hold on, lemme find my key.”</p><p>Unimpressed, Edo watched his fiancé dig through his pockets, who occasionally handed him things to hold. “... You’re not gonna knock, or something? Ring the doorbell?”</p><p>“Why would I do that? They know I'm coming,” he replied, giving Edo what looked like a folded up receipt from the grocery store. A receipt from several months ago, by the looks of it.  Jesus, Ryo really just shoved literal trash into his jacket pockets and never took it out, huh.</p><p>At last, Ryo produced a key. Edo handed him back all of his crap and stepped inside the apartment.  </p><p>“What are you doing?” Ryo said under his breath, in english, “take your shoes off inside the house you fucking savage.”</p><p>“Oh my <em> god, </em>what does it look like I’m doing?” Edo hissed back.</p><p>“Ryo, is that you?” came a woman’s voice from further in the apartment. “Why didn’t you call ahead? How am I supposed to know you’re not a criminal or something?”</p><p>“I have a key to the house,” he mumbled. </p><p>Ryo’s mother, whose given name was Kei, came to stand in the doorway, leaning on the frame. Edo was struck by just <em> how much </em> she and her eldest son resembled each other. It was like looking at a shorter, friendlier, female version of Ryo. Pulling Ryo into a hug, she continued: “So? A criminal could’ve stolen it from you. Or taken it off your corpse.”</p><p>“Mom…”</p><p>She gestured towards Edo. “Well? Aren’t you going to introduce me to your guest?” she prompted.</p><p>“Oh. Uh. Yeah.” Ryo cleared his throat, blushing slightly. “Um, this is Edo, my… my fiancé.”</p><p>Edo stepped forward. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs Marufuji.”</p><p>“No need to be so formal. We’re going to be family, aren’t we? Regardless, it’s great to finally meet you! I’ve heard so much about you.”</p><p>“Hopefully good things.”</p><p>She threw her head back and laughed. Edo had no idea how to interpret that. “Ryo’s allergic to saying nice things about people. It causes him to break out in hives. Oh, don’t look at me like that, honey, I’m only kidding.”</p><p>Before his mom, Ryo looked everything like the petulant child; brows furrowed, lips pulled into a pout. “Where’s Dad?”</p><p>“He stepped out to get some groceries. We didn’t know when you’d arrive, because, again, you <em> didn’t tell us.</em>”</p><p>“I said I was sorry.”</p><p>“No you didn’t,” Edo said, jumping into the conversation.</p><p>Ryo grit his teeth. “Well it was <em> implied</em>.”</p><p>Edo looked around as he followed Ryo and his mother past the kitchen; the decor was a blend of both eastern and western-style furnishings. Family pictures hung from the walls; Ryo as a baby; baby Sho with a two-year-old Ryo; the brothers smiling and hugging; the family sitting for a group photo, their father holding little Sho and a surly four-year-old Ryo seated in his mom’s lap; it was all so, <em> so </em> normal. Edo found himself envying Ryo a little, bitterly wondering if this is what <em> his </em> life could’ve been like had his parents not died.  </p><p>“Are you two going to stay the night, or will you go to a hotel?” she asked in the living room. </p><p>“Um, we can stay here,” Ryo answered. “Edo, give me your suitcase.”</p><p>Ryo left to put their things in a bedroom. Once he was out of earshot, Kei spoke: “When Ryo said he was engaged, we were shocked.” She closed her eyes. “He’s always been…” She paused, seeming to search for the right word; “unsociable. He’s come a long way.”</p><p>For the second time that day, Edo didn’t know how he was supposed to respond.</p><p>“Anyway, make yourself at home, Edo. Are you hungry, do you want anything to drink?”</p><p>“No, I’m uh, fine.”</p><p>She nodded. “I’ll get you some water,” she decided anyway, leaving Edo alone in the room.</p><p>Edo continued looking at the pictures, trying not to feel jealous as he did so. There was Ryo on his first day of school, wide-eyed and apprehensive; pictures of the brothers individually; Ryo and Sho on a swing set; the brothers building a hot wheels track… </p><p>He turned to face his fiancé, who had returned and taken a seat. “Wow, you and your brother were really close as kids.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Ryo looked guilty. “I really adored my brother. We did everything together back then.”</p><p>“Huh. I thought you two actually getting along was fairly recent.”</p><p>“It’s my fault things got like that,” Ryo said, “in third grade I thought that having a little kid constantly clinging to me was uncool, so I started ignoring him.” Ryo sighed. “It really affected Sho. I got over it by the time I entered middle school, but at that point I had no idea how to relate to him anymore.”</p><p>Ryo sighed. “Then the times I <em> did </em> try to connect with him it just came across as cold and overly critical. It came to a point that, when he made a simple mistake during a duel, I tried to… I thought I was helping him, but really I just made him feel humiliated. It ruined any semblance of a relationship we still had.”</p><p>“Oh.” Edo took a seat next to Ryo on the couch.</p><p>“Yeah,” he said, “I just stopped trying to interact with him at that point, since everything I did just made things worse. I was a pretty terrible older brother.”</p><p>“But you’ve made up for it.”</p><p>“Have I though? Sho was always so outgoing when we were little and I <em> ruined </em> that. I destroyed his self-worth.”</p><p>“He came out stronger for it.”</p><p>“That… doesn’t make it OK.”</p><p>Edo squeezed Ryo’s knee, hoping to give his partner some reassurance. “There’s no use worrying about it now.”</p><p>Kei returned, setting down three glasses of water. “You look good Ryo. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you look so happy.”</p><p>Edo raised an eyebrow and looked at his partner.  </p><p>“Happy?” Ryo asked, caught off guard.</p><p>“How can you tell?” Edo asked out of genuine curiosity.</p><p>“I just can,” she answered.  She turned back to her son: “You used to be so sad and angry all the time. And then you were so sick… It’s just good to see you well.”</p><p>“I’m feeling a lot better than I was, yeah.”</p><p>“It seems moving to America was good for you,” she said a little wistfully. “What’s it like there? Have you been able to adjust? How’s your english? How often do you see Sho?”</p><p>“Um… can we just do one question at a time?”</p><p>“Ah, sorry. I know you get overwhelmed by that sort of thing. I just want to know how you’re doing.  It’s hard enough getting in touch with the time difference between us.”</p><p>“No, it’s—”</p><p>“And I should probably wait to ask those things for when your dad gets here. I know he’s eager to hear about it as well. You’re from the US, right Edo?”</p><p>“Yeah, New Jersey. My parents both worked for Industrial Illusions.”</p><p>“Literally nobody outside the US knows what New Jersey is,” Ryo griped.</p><p>Kei pointedly ignored her son. “Your japanese is very good. How long have you been speaking?”</p><p>“I’ve been competing in international tournaments since I was a kid. There are a lot of duel monsters tournaments held over here, courtesy of KaibaCorp, so I had to learn for that. I think I also came here with my dad once, for his job, but I was very young then.”</p><p>“Industrial Illusions are the people who make the duel monsters cards, right?”</p><p>“Yeah. Both my mom and dad were card designers. They’re not, uh… around anymore.”</p><p>“I’m sorry to hear that.”</p><p>“It’s not exactly… private information,” he said.</p><p>She looked sheepish. “I’ll admit, I did look you up on the internet way back when Ryo was matched against you.”</p><p>Well that was a little awkward. “Oh.”</p><p>“Needless to say I never expected that years later he’d be bringing you home as his partner. It certainly wasn’t an outcome any of us foresaw.”</p><p>Edo laughed awkwardly. He briefly glanced at Ryo, who was pointedly looking away, a slight blush on his cheeks.</p><p>“That was eight years ago, Mom,” he complained, “A lot can change in that time.”</p><p>Kei smiled softly at her son. “Yes, it can.”</p><p>She turned back to Edo: “Are you also an artist, Edo?”</p><p>Edo was caught off guard, having forgotten that they’d been talking about his parents just a moment earlier. “Oh, uh, kind of? I mean I used to draw a lot in my free time, but it’s… it’s just…”</p><p>Edo used to draw all the time. When he was little, he wanted to be an artist just like his dad. They would go to parks and draw together. It was… he’d loved doing that. His mom’s cancer had come back before he’d ever had a chance to do that with her, though he had vague memories of sitting with her in her hospital bed and watching her paint. She had long stopped working at that point; by then they were well-aware she would never return to work no matter how much she may have wanted to.</p><p>Even after his father died, Edo still enjoyed drawing. He’d even convinced DD to sign him up for art classes. Somewhere along the way, as Edo got older and the investigation into his father’s murder stagnated, he’d just...stopped. The realization made him a bit sad.</p><p>These days, drawing felt bittersweet. He couldn’t help but think of what things would be like if his parents were there to praise him or give him advice. There was also guilt; though both of his parents had died young, he’d been more deeply affected by his dad’s death. Whether that was because he’d known his father longer or because his mom had died from more natural causes he couldn’t say. It wasn’t that he’d loved her any less, that he often dwelled on just how <em> unfair </em> his father’s death was but never gave the same thought to her. Her death was also unfair. From what he knew, her cancer was caught too late, had advanced too far for her to have any real hope of recovery.  </p><p>Edo had never known his mother when she wasn’t dying. “...I wouldn’t exactly call myself an artist,” he finished lamely.</p><p>“I ask because Ryo’s dad is an art instructor at the university.  He’ll be really excited to have someone else in the family who knows something about that stuff. He tried to get the kids into painting but it didn’t turn out well.”</p><p>“You make it sound as if we caused some sort of disaster,” Ryo objected.</p><p>“You painted over your brother’s glasses because the two of you thought it would let him see things but <em> in red</em>.”</p><p>Edo, who was sipping water, choked on his drink.  Ryo patted him on the back as Edo coughed.</p><p>“We thought we could make them into 3D glasses,” Ryo added, as if that made it any better.</p><p>Edo struggled to inhale. “Reality is -cough- <em> already </em> in 3D,” he wheezed.</p><p>“...We weren’t very smart back then,” Ryo said. </p><p>“Versus… now?” Edo said.</p><p>“I’m sure I’m somewhat smarter than I was as a child.”</p><p>Edo heard the front door open and close, followed by the sounds of someone shuffling through the kitchen.</p><p>“Has Ryo messaged you about when he’ll get here?” they shouted from the kitchen, “His plane should’ve landed over an hour ago.” </p><p>The man, presumably Ryo’s father, entered the room. “Oh, Ryo, you’re here,” he said.</p><p>“Good to see you too, Dad.”</p><p>In person, Marufuji Shinya looked slightly older than he did in many of the family photographs, with prominent crow’s feet and a short greying beard. In fact, his facial hair reminded Edo a bit of a Japanese Colonel Sanders, a thought that Edo immediately tried to expel from his brain. He smiled when introducing himself, and Edo immediately knew where Ryo had gotten his dimples from. That said, the look was obviously cuter on Ryo, not that Edo was biased or anything (he was).</p><p>Looking at Mr and Mrs Marufuji standing together, it was clear that while Ryo looked like a carbon copy of his mother, Sho was an even mixture of the two. Marufuji Shinya, who was slightly shorter than his wife (but still taller than Edo) and whose pale green hair was pulled back into a bun, smiled warmly.</p><p>“It’s nice to finally meet you, Edo. Ryo never stops talking about you.”</p><p>Ryo’s eyes widened. “Dad!”</p><p>“When he calls it’s always ‘Edo’ this and ‘Edo’ that.”</p><p>Ryo covered his face with both hands. “It’s not like that at all.”</p><p>“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If anything, it’s a nice change from you always talking about duel monsters or that weird european music you listen to.”</p><p>“Not <em> all </em> of it is european,” he mumbled.</p><p>“But all of it is weird.”</p><p>Ryo grumbled something unintelligible.</p><p>They retreated to the kitchen area, where Kei began to chop vegetables for dinner. Looking around, Edo decided to take a seat at the table, which he felt was the least obtrusive place to sit. Ryo, who had no qualms about being in the way, leaned against the counter.</p><p>“What’s it like living in America? Have you been able to adjust?” Shinya asked.</p><p>Ryo launched into a tirade about having to drive on the wrong side of the road and weird american food staples. Edo mostly tuned it out; he’d already heard most of Ryo’s gripes about his home country and didn’t need to hear them again. It got very old very fast.</p><p>“On the way over you were complaining about driving on the wrong side of the road <em> here</em>,” Edo said.</p><p>Ryo crossed his arms. “I got used to it in America, so coming back it’s just weird even though that’s how I learned.”</p><p>Shinya swapped places with his wife, tossing the vegetables and other ingredients into a frying pan. “You’ve been doing pretty well in all your matches. Last I checked, you were considered one of the top-ranked duelists in the North American league. Actually, both of you are.”</p><p>“Edo’s ranked higher than me,” said Ryo.</p><p>“That doesn't mean much,” Edo added.</p><p>“Granted, I’m not too knowledgeable about how things work over there, we only started following that when Ryo moved, so about three years or so. I recently read an article that listed both of you favorites for winning the title this season.”</p><p>Edo's eyes met Ryo's. "I honestly haven't been paying much attention to that," Ryo said, “it’s a bit too early for that sort of speculation.”</p><p>Kei laughed as she set the food on the table. The meal consisted of fried rice, glazed pork, and a salad. It looked delicious. “Wouldn’t it be funny if you two had to duel each other?”</p><p>“Eh, I hope not,” said Ryo.</p><p>“Afraid you’ll lose again?” Edo teased.</p><p>“No, it would just be weird. Like, isn’t that an ethical dilemma of some kind?”</p><p>“Uh... no? I think you’re confusing that with therapists dating their clients or something?”</p><p>“Ryo, no offense,” Shinya began, “but I’m pretty sure you’ve never taken an ethics course in your life.”</p><p>Kei looked up from her plate. “That’s true. You’re the only one here who doesn’t have a college degree.”</p><p>“... doesn’t mean I can’t read,” muttered Ryo. “I could get one if I wanted to.”</p><p>”I don’t doubt it, you’ve always been a smart kid.”</p><p>Next to his parents’ easygoing demeanors, Ryo came across as even more surly than usual.</p><p>“We used to think something was seriously wrong with you, you were so quiet,” Shinya said, “All the other kids were already talking and Ryo didn’t even babble!”</p><p>“We had to take him in to get all these tests done, but the doctor said everything checked out. His hearing, cognitive ability, all were fine,” Kei added. </p><p>“A couple weeks after Sho was born, Ryo asked me a question. I almost dropped the baby! I made him repeat himself, then called my wife into the room and made him repeat himself again.”</p><p>“Which frustrated him immensely. He was not very patient as a toddler.”</p><p>Edo laughed, his mind conjuring a clear image of a tiny Ryo, fists balled up tightly, shaking with impotent toddler rage as he was asked to repeat himself over and over.</p><p>“This is embarrassing…” Ryo complained.</p><p>“How’s it embarrassing? The moment you started speaking, you were talking in full, complete sentences. That’s pretty impressive!”</p><p>“That’s incredible,” Edo said, “considering that these days you’re lucky to get even a single word out of him. Wow Ryo, you’ve actually <em> regressed </em> in maturity since you were a baby.”</p><p>The corners of Ryo’s mouth twitched. “Shut up.”</p><p>“Oh, he’s not <em>that </em>bad these days. When he was a teenager, though, I think he averaged around two words a month.”</p><p>There was a lull in conversation as they finished their meal. Ryo offered, awkwardly, to wash the dishes, an offer which his mother rebuked.</p><p>“So have you started planning the wedding?” she asked.</p><p>Ryo looked at Edo. “Uh...”</p><p>“Probably nothing big?” Edo suggested. “We honestly have not thought about it at all.”</p><p>“You’re probably going to have it over in the States,” Shinya stated. “Men can marry each other over there now.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, I forgot that that only just became legal a year ago.”</p><p>Ryo’s mother looked worried. “Are you sure you guys should keep living there? We’ve heard, uh, some things about the upcoming election.”</p><p>“I’m not moving back here,” Ryo said.</p><p>“I’m not saying you should come back, just… what about Europe? Or Canada?”</p><p>“He won’t get elected. There’s no way there are that many stupid people willing to believe the stuff that guy says,” Edo said.</p><p>Ryo shrugged. “I don’t really pay attention to the politics over there. I mean, I’m not a citizen, it’s not like I can do anything about it.”</p><p>“Maybe that’s why you <em> should </em>be paying attention,” she said.</p><p>“She has a point, Ryo,” Edo chimed in, “Some of the stuff that’s being said could definitely impact you if it comes to pass.”</p><p>“I know,” Ryo said, looking down at his plate. He excused himself from the table.</p><p>They watched Ryo leave. “I shouldn’t have brought that up,” Kei said.</p><p>“It’s fine, you’re worried, it’s fine,” Shinya reassured her.</p><p>“Sorry Edo,” she said. “We just… worry a lot about Ryo.”</p><p>“No, it’s alright. I’ve thought about it too, it’s just…” He sighed. “My parents are buried in New Jersey. I’m not ready to…”</p><p>“That’s right, you lost your family at a young age… I’m sorry, that’s so horrible.”</p><p>“You’re allowed to think of us as family, too. If you need anything, or just want to talk, we’re here for you, too. Our relationship doesn’t have to be limited to just through Ryo.”</p><p>“Oh… of course not. Thank you.”</p><p>Ryo returned shortly after, and the conversation was redirected to more normal topics for the remainder of the evening.</p><p>——</p><p>“So this was your room?” Edo said, looking around at the walls, which were covered in posters for various metal and industrial bands, most of them western. Other than that, the room was sparsely furnished, with only a bed, desk, and desk chair squeezed into the small space. “Why do you have a poster of some dirty white guy?” Edo asked, gesturing towards said wall decoration.</p><p>“That's Mikael Åkerfeldt… from Opeth? He was like, my celebrity crush when I was younger.”</p><p>“Standards have always been incredibly low I see.”</p><p>Ryo didn’t miss a beat. “Yeah they’d have to be to date you.”</p><p>Edo pressed his mouth into a thin line. “I set myself up for that one. I fucking played myself.” </p><p>“You did. You gave me the perfect setup.”</p><p>Ryo sat at the desk. “I’m gonna call you Eddy now. Just a heads up.”</p><p>Edo wrinkled his nose. “The last person to call me that was my dad.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“I don’t mind, it’s just that I haven’t been called that in a long time. It’s a little nostalgic.”</p><p>“Alright then, <em> Eddy</em>.” </p><p>The bed took up most of the space in the small room, which made getting undressed with another person in there feel a bit crowded. Edo folded his clothes neatly and placed them atop his suitcase.</p><p>“God, you’re so slow,” said Ryo, already in bed wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants.</p><p>“That’s because I don’t just dump my clothes into a pile on the floor. I have class.”</p><p>Edo climbed into bed and sidled up to his partner’s back. He slid his hand up Ryo’s shirt, fingers tracing the line of his sternum before traveling elsewhere. Ryo’s nipples were pierced, which he explained away as an impulsive decision made shortly after turning eighteen. Edo admittedly found nipple piercings tacky, mostly due to his own aversion to sharp objects being poked in sensitive places, but he rather liked the look on his partner. Plus, they were fun.</p><p>An evil thought entered Edo’s head, and he tugged at one of the small barbell piercings. Ryo moaned, but immediately clapped a hand over his mouth after hearing himself. </p><p>“Cut it out,” Ryo whispered through his fingers, “the walls are thinner than they look.”</p><p>“I’m not the one who has trouble moderating my volume.”</p><p>Ryo glared at his future husband. “I <em> do not </em> have volume issues. I make a perfectly acceptable amount of noise when we fuck.”</p><p>“Okay, fine, I believe you.”</p><p>“Shut up, I’ll prove that I can be quiet. Come on,” he said, lying back down. Despite his boast, Ryo still seemed hesitant to continue.</p><p>“We don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Edo stated.</p><p>Ryo turned so he was partially facing Edo. “I want to.”</p><p>“Are you saying that because you mean it or because you’re being stubborn?”</p><p>Ryo didn’t answer. Edo tentatively grabbed his boyfriend’s ass.</p><p>“Wait, not that. I didn’t — I’m not prepared for, y’know… I didn’t think we would, uh—”</p><p>Slipping a hand beneath Ryo’s waistband, Edo reassured him: “I wasn’t gonna do anything penetrative.”</p><p>Ryo wrinkled his nose. “Don’t make it sound so clinical.”</p><p>Edo palmed Ryo’s cock. “Well we can’t have you shitting the bed at your parents’ house, can we?”</p><p>“Ugh, can you make this any less sexy?”</p><p>“You’re already half-hard,” Edo pointed out.</p><p>“I’m half-hard because my boner is <em> dying</em>. I <em> was </em> turned on, but you ruined it. Because you’re a bonerkill.”</p><p>“Oh! <em> I’m </em> the bonerkill, huh?”</p><p>“Uhhh-huh.” Ryo moaned, thrusting into Edo’s hand. “You’re a boner murderer. A fuckin’ dick destroyer. You walk into a room and every dick instantly goes flaccid.”</p><p>Edo, who had been using his mouth to tug at one of Ryo’s nipple piercings, pulled back in a fit of giggles.  “Why— why would I be walking into a room of aroused men in the first place? Why is everyone in the room already hard? Why are all these men sitting in a room together? What the hell?”</p><p>“Uhhhh, bukkake? Circlejerk session? Fuck if I know. You’re the one who's exclusively into men, you tell me.”</p><p>Edo kissed him, pulling at Ryo’s bottom lip with his teeth. “Versus what, exactly? You’re down for anyone willing to fuck you in the ass.”</p><p>“What can I say? I know what I like. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with you, since I’m the only one immune to your boner-killing ways.”</p><p>“I thought I already killed your boner? That doesn’t sound very immune.”</p><p>“It’s only a partial immunity,” Ryo clarified.</p><p>“Oh, of course!”</p><p>Ryo came in Edo’s hand, laughing. Edo wiped his hand off on Ryo’s sweatpants. “Lemme take care of you,” Ryo said, “lemme suck your cock.”</p><p>“Whoa there, I thought you were the one who didn’t wanna do anything too ‘adventurous’ while we stayed at your parents’ apartment?”</p><p>“There is nothing adventurous about having a dick in my mouth. That’s entry-level stuff.”</p><p>“Just a second ago you said that a handy was too much.”</p><p>“Ugh, shut up. Just shut up. I rescind my offer. Have fun <em> not </em> getting a blowjob, loser.”</p><p>“Oh come on, you know I’m just messing with you.”</p><p>Ryo turned over so he was facing away from Edo. “You know what they say, Eddy. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”</p><p>Edo wrapped his arms around Ryo, squeezing him tightly. He nibbled at the area just behind Ryo’s ear. “C’mon babe.”</p><p>“Ugh, you’re playing dirty,” Ryo lamented. “Alright, sit up.” He patted the side of Edo’s leg as the other scooted back. Ryo rolled onto his stomach and freed Edo’s cock from the waistband of his shorts. Holding it in his left hand, he licked it base to tip and continued to tease around the base with several open-mouthed kisses.</p><p>“Can you get on with it?”</p><p>Ryo pulled back. “I have no idea what you mean,” he said innocently, blinking several times for emphasis.</p><p>Edo responded by grabbing a fistful of hair to pull Ryo’s head back and up, forcing his face next to his cock. He could feel the hot breath coming from Ryo’s mouth. “I’m a little tired, so if you could speed things up a bit.”</p><p>The look Ryo gave him, gazing up through his thick lashes, eyes half-lidded and hazy, was the kind of thing ancient civilisations would go to war over, Edo thought. Well, maybe that was waxing a little too poetic for Edo’s tastes, but he didn’t think it was too off the mark. Ryo was exceptionally beautiful in a way most people wished they could pull off; ethereal, graceful in a way that could almost be described as feminine, yet he was also masculine, broad, and strong. Externally, Ryo was perfect; it was a shame about everything else, though. Everything wrong with Ryo had the decency to be wrong on the inside, where people couldn’t see it. Hm, that was pretty good, he’d have to say that to Ryo sometime.</p><p>Edo was brought back to reality by the sensation of Ryo’s mouth on his cock. Ryo bobbed up and down, right hand gripping the base. He adjusted his posture to take Edo deeper, his long hair coming down to curtain his face.</p><p>“Hold on,” Edo said, tucking Ryo’s hair behind his ears. This wasn’t a view he wanted to miss.</p><p>Ryo glanced up briefly before getting back to work, taking Edo in until his nose was buried in Edo’s pubic hair and Edo’s cock hit the back of his throat.</p><p>Edo threw his head back as Ryo swallowed around his dick. “Holy shit, Ryo...”</p><p>Edo’s brain felt like it was filled with cotton, but in a good, hazy sort of way. Like a room rapidly filling with smoke. Ryo surfaced, bobbing a couple more times before swallowing Edo again. The fog in Edo’s brain cleared just enough for him to warn Ryo before finishing in his throat.</p><p>Edo placed his hands on either side of Ryo’s face and guided him up so they were forehead to forehead. Ryo’s lips were red and slightly swollen, the corners of his mouth turned upwards into a slight grin. He tilted his head slightly, kissing Edo on the lips, before flopping down next to him on the bed.</p><p>Edo stroked his partner’s back, feeling Ryo relax into his touch. “Y’know,” he began, “I’m surprised your parents weren’t more apprehensive about us being… both of us being men.”</p><p>“Well. They used to be pretty traditional about that kind of stuff. I think… I think they’re just glad to be able to see me get to this point. I mean, it wasn’t long ago when they were told to start preparing for my death… I think they don’t really care how I live my life, just that I’m alive.”</p><p>Edo was at a loss for words; he didn’t know how to relate to that sort of thing; he’d buried both of his parents before he was six years old. “I think we’d lost touch at that point.”</p><p>“Yeah. When we met again I was recovered enough to mostly be on my own. Before that I had to be monitored pretty much 24/7. My parents took time off work to take care of me… I think they also just wanted to spend time with me, since those days were supposed to be…” Ryo trailed off.</p><p>Edo knew what went unsaid; medical professionals had predicted that Ryo would most likely die during that time. He’d gone so long without treatment, done such irreparable damage to his heart that his other organs had suffered loss of function as well.</p><p>Ryo smiled. “I guess being a stubborn asshole is just codified in my DNA, since my body continuously refuses to die or stay dead.”</p><p>“I don’t know if being an asshole is in your DNA, your parents seem like extremely nice people.”</p><p>“They are. I really don’t understand… how I came out the way that I am.” Ryo wore a pained expression. “I’m not…”</p><p>“I think you don’t give yourself enough credit.”</p><p>“Credit for what? Ruining every opportunity that comes my way? Being the family fuckup?”</p><p>“Uh, weren’t you the golden child?”</p><p>“Yeah, <em> academically</em>. Doesn’t mean I was easy to deal with.”</p><p>“Ryo, look at me.” Edo’s hands framed Ryo’s face, forcing him to make eye contact. “You deserve the good things that happen to you. The people who love you aren’t mistaken in doing so. Alright?”</p><p>Ryo nodded. “Y-yeah. Right.”</p><p>“Now let’s actually go to sleep, so we don’t look like zombies in front of your parents tomorrow.”</p><p>Ryo turned to lay on his back, his gaze still fixated on Edo. </p><p>“Ed... Thanks for meeting my family.”</p><p>“Uh, yeah, of course.”</p><p>“I know it’s probably not easy.”</p><p>“I’m fine. I just hope they don’t, like, hate me.”</p><p>“Pfft. My parents <em> love </em>you. They’re just… surprised, is all. After all those health scares, I think they thought they’d be burying me before I ever had a chance to grow up or get this far.”</p><p>Ryo snickered. “Also they’re probably in awe of how short you are. Americans are supposed to be really tall.”</p><p>“Wow. Shut your fucking mouth.”</p><p>Ryo’s eyes shone with mirth. “I still remember the look on your face when you found out Sho had gotten taller than you.”</p><p>As soon as they got married, Edo was filing for divorce.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>of course ryo likes opeth. he’d be a fool not to.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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